Social inclusion is a hot topic in Australia perhaps triggered partly because of low unemployment levels, a buoyant economy, high interest rates and the various economic pressures that come with all of that. But ever since the mid 1970's, the idea of 'social inclusion' or 'social exclusion' has been slowly moving towards the heart of political consciousness both here and around the world.

So what is social inclusion?  Here are just a few definitions:

'Social inclusion is the process by which efforts are made to ensure that everyone, regardless of their experiences and circumstances, can achieve their potential in life. To achieve inclusion income and employment are necessary but not sufficient. An inclusive society is also characterised by a striving for reduced inequality, a balance between individuals’ rights and duties and increased social cohesion'. (Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion), 2002'

'Have or take someone in as a member of a group, community, or society as a whole.' (Republic of Bulgaria) 

'Social inclusion is based on the belief that we all fare better when no one is left to fall too far behind and the economy works for everyone. Social inclusion simultaneously incorporates multiple dimensions of well-being. It is achieved when all have the opportunity and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social, and cultural activities which are considered the societal norm.' (Social Inclusion for the United States, 2007)'

Inevitibly, with any marginalised group whether it be those with lower education levels, those in poverty, those of a different ethnic background and other forms of social disadvantage, within the whole framework of social inclusion, the gender most adversely affected are women. But regardless of gender, the issues are the same.

In a report by the Australian Services Union put out in April 2007, and titled Building Social Inclusion in Australia - Priorities for the Social and Community Services Sector Workforce, they state:

'Services that promote access, equity, participation and rights of all people build social inclusion. In Australia community services act as a basic protection against the worst effects of poverty, social exclusion, violence and inequality and can provide a better defence against intergenerational joblessness, abuse and disadvantage. The critical work of community services to build links between disadvantaged Australians and others have benefits not just for their clients but for the whole society. Research indicates communities where people can access community services have higher levels of social capital. Societies with high levels of social capital tend to have lower crime rates, improved child welfare, better public health, better public administration, reduced political corruption, more efficient capital and labour markets and better educational performance.... For example see Robert Putnam, Note for discussion, Meeting of OECD Education Ministers, 18-19 March 2004'

As we keep moving along in booming economical times, the need for social inclusion increases along with the difficulty to attain it.

A UK Government speech titled Our sovereign value: fairness says that in order to begin solving the problem, we must look at early intervention methods. And when you think about it, this makes a whole lot of sense. Rather than tackling the problem at the end, we need to get to it before it starts:

'The problem is not that we are not trying, nor that the money is not being committed. It is that we need a radical revision of our methods. The Social Exclusion Plan will be guided by five principles: early intervention, systematically identifying what works, better co-ordination of the many separate agencies, personal rights and responsibilities and intolerance of poor performance.

More than anything else, early intervention is crucial. It is a commonplace that prevention is better than cure. But recent advances in our knowledge have offered the promise that we might be able to achieve it. There has been great progress in our ability to spot the risk factors associated with subsequent anti-social behaviour. We also know a lot more about how to protect people against these risks. The protective factors are not surprising - affectionate families, adequate attention from parents'.

In the past, governments have struggled with the concept of social inclusion and exclusion because they haven't been able to quantify what it costs to society. But if you accept what the UK government has discovered then it would be easy to start seeing where the savings are if you can intervene before things got out of control. For example, less jails and detention centres and all the support that goes around them, less vandalism, less pressures on our health system, less police and so on.

But as always, the first step in finding a solution is understanding the problem and building awareness.  I think as women, we should be that bit more aware of the issue of social inclusion and make every effort to 'do our bit' on achieving it. One simple step that our own club is taking is seeking diversity within our own membership and also actively seeking out some speakers from groups that do suffer from social exclusion. 

From Wednesday 25 June 2008 to Friday 27 June 2008, there is a national conference titled Making a Difference - Social Inclusion for New and Emerging Communities in Adelaide, South Australia. Deadline for standard registrations is 4 June 2008 whilst the deadline for Early Bird registrations is 14 May 2008. Further information can be obtained from the Migrant Resource Centre of South Australia's website or the conference registration form.

Michelle Jansen
Soroptimist International Brisbane City